High pressure fluids help to accomplish a number of tasks. In just one example, high pressure fluids are used to produce a highly focused stream of water (i.e. a water jet) to cut materials and/or shapes that would be otherwise difficult to cut with conventional cutting tools. These systems rely on containing a volume of fluid under high pressure or ultra-high pressure. These high pressures cause a great deal of difficulty in containing the fluid without leaking and/or without damage to the containment systems. Moreover, cyclical pressure fluctuations compound the problems associated with containing high pressure fluid.
Accordingly, in conventional high-pressure fluid containment systems, sealing mechanisms are provided at various locations between adjacent components of the fluid vessel to contain the fluid under pressure. The seals may include a combination of malleable and/or rigid materials, which fatigue or wear over time, causing failure of the sealing mechanisms. Because these systems also typically place a compressive load onto elements of the vessel, this loading also contributes to a reduced life and/or failure of the sealing mechanisms.
As increasingly high fluid pressures are applied with these fluid containment systems, considerable challenges remain in attempting to provide effective, robust sealing mechanisms that can withstand both the wear due to compressive loading and high fluid pressures while still effectively containing the fluids.